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Penn State Loses Quarterback Drew Allar, Beats Wisconsin to Remain Perfect

Beau Pribula played a superb second half in place of the injured Allar, leading the Nittany Lions to a 7-0 record.

Mark Wogenrich

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Beau Pribula (9) celebrates after earning a first down during the fourth quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium.
Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Beau Pribula (9) celebrates after earning a first down during the fourth quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
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Penn State essentially spotted Wisconsin 10 first-half points, trailed at halftime again, lost its starting quarterback to an apparent knee injury and watched two more starters leave the game with injuries but still didn't crack. And now the hobbled but nevertheless unbeaten Nittany Lions will host Ohio State with a perfect 7-0 record.

Safety Jaylen Reed returned a third-quarter interception for a touchdown, quarterback Beau Pribula led a critical touchdown drive that gobbled more than 7 minutes and the Nittany Lions outlasted Wisconsin 28-13 on Saturday night at a sold-out Camp Randall Stadium. The game proved another stress test for third-ranked Penn State, which faced more obstacles than it has all season. Yet the Nittany Lions found a way. Pribula and the defense were the difference.

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar leaves the game

Allar was having a superb day (14-for-18, 148 yards) and led a touchdown drive before Wisconsin turned up the pressure. He looked increasingly more frustrated as the second quarter wore on, leading to a critical moment late in the second quarter. After a first-down sack, Allar got up with a slight limp and walked off gingerly after two ensuing incompletions. Allar began the third quarter on the sldeline, wearing a knee brace, and Beau Pribula took over at quarterback.

This would not be a replay of the Penn State-Iowa game of 2021, when Sean Clifford ceded to Ta'Quan Roberson. Pribula was ready.

Beau Pribula takes over the offense

Pribula had some anxious early moments, including a fumbled snap and a delay-of-game penalty. But then the quarterback shed the "changeup quarterback" designation in real-time. He completed 10 consecutive passes at one point, five for first downs and a smart second-look touchdown pass to tight end Khalil Dinkins. Moreover, Pribula rushed for key first-down conversions that helped open the rest of Penn State's offense.

Pribula went 11-for-13, all in the second half, and found a real rapport with Liam Clifford. The receiver caught three critical passes for 40 yards, including a 23-yarder on Penn State's final scoring drive. Once again, Tyler Warren was Penn State's leading receiver, catching seven passes for 46 yards. He also took two Wildcat snaps to set up Pribula's touchdown pass to Dinkins.

Penn State's run game revives itself

The first half wasn't pretty. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen combined for 38 yards rushing in the first half, continuing a theme that began with the doubleheader against the California schools. Penn State averaged more than 250 yards rushing through the first four games but combined for just 203 yards against UCLA and USC.

But with Pribula adding his dynamic feet to the run game, Singleton and Allen found more room. They rushed for 97 yards in the second half, with Allen scoring the clinching touchdown on a special effect from offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.

Pribula appeared to call a play from the shotgun but really was lined behind left guard Vega Ioane. Allen was lined behind center Nick Dawkins, who snapped directly to Allen and then pulled left in the run formation. With exceptional interior blocking, Allen caught a lane for 24-yard touchdown.

Penn State's defense locks the third-down door again

Yes, Penn State's defense has been frustratingly leaky in first halves. Wisconsin quarterback Braedyn Locke led a 10-play, 73-yard scoring drive give the Badgers the halftime lead on a series that benefitted from a defensive penalty on the Nittany Lions. However, Penn State allowed just three third-quarter points through its first six games and gave up just three more to Wisconsin. More important, the Nittany Lions took the lead on a vitally needed defensive play.

With Allar out and the offensive tone dislodged, Reed intercepted Locke and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown, giving Penn State a 14-10 lead. That play followed a 3-and-out on Wisconsin's first drive of the quarter. The Badgers produced just 51 yards in the first half, none on the ground.

Penn State swallowed the Wisconsin run game, allowing just 10 second-half rushing yards. Defensive tackle Alonzo Ford. generated two tackles for loss on the same series, Zane Durant was a menace inside and Zakee Wheatley made 10 tackles, including a fourth-down stop late.

Penn State's key injuries

The Nittany Lions left the game with multiple injuries. Allar's knee will be a significant issue this week. But Penn State also lost defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, who played one second-half snap, and right tackle Anthony Donkoh in the first half. Nolan Rucci, who transferred from Wisconsin to Penn State, took over for Donkoh.

Nicholas Singleton's acrobatic touchdown catch

Nicholas Singleton didn't look to be his most explosive self against Wisconsin. And he wasn't the best receiver in his backfield last year. That was Allen. But Singleton spent the offseason upgrading that part of his game, with superb results.

Singleton made a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch in the second quarter, corralling a pass Allar floated into tight coverage. The catch was his second of the half; Singleton ended the first quarter by taking an Allar outlet throw 27 yards to get into the red zone. The touchdown catch, though, was an elite receiving play.

Penn State helps Wisconsin to 10 points

Locke went 2-for-7 on Wisconsin's first series but a strong throw on 3rd-and-15 to keep alive the drive. Then came one of the savviest plays you''ll see from a punter. Penn State's Jalen Kimber had a free rush to the block, but Wisconsin's Atticus Bertrans calmly tucked the ball, reset to punt again and saw uncovered field. He ran for 15 yards on 4th-and-9 for the improbable conversion. That set up kicker Nathanial Vakos for a 50-yard field goal, giving the Badgers a 3-0 lead.

Locke sharpened his throws in the second quarter. He led a 10-play, 73-yard touchdown drive, completing three consecutive passes, including a pair to Will Pauling, before Tawee Walker scored on a 1-yard run 1:23 before halftime. The scoring drive benefited from a critical Penn State mistake: The Nittany Lions had 12 defenders on the field on a third-down stop before Walker's touchdown.

Up Next

Penn State hosts Ohio State, perhaps with former President Donald Trump in attendance, on Nov. 2 at Beaver Stadium.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is Editor and Publisher of AllPennState, the site for Penn State news on SI's FanNation Network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs and three Rose Bowls.

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